Our 6-month adventure continues as we travel south through Washington, Oregon and Parts of Northern California.
Volcanoes line the coast from Washington down through Northern California, some of which have recently erupted such as St Helens and Lassen. This post will cover the initial part of our way home out of Alaska this fall following much of the Volcanic Legacy Byway. It includes a number of State and National Parks dedicated to the volcanic activity in this part of the world.
This post covers the following area:
Day 1: Transition to Yakima (day 125 of the overall trip) – continued from our previous post
We arrive at Bellingham bright an early in the morning and are off the ferry within 30 minutes. As we pull the truck off the boat, we check to see if our satellite radio service has been turned back on for our return to the lower 48. It hasn’t been reactivated but with a quick call, it is back up and running! The first thing we notice is the smoke from area wildfires. We had planned to drive the Southern Cascades Loop on Rt 2, but the road is closed due to wildfires. We drove this road back as part of 2005 Washington Road Trip and remember the spectacular scenery and the cute German Bavarian Village of Leavenworth. We consult the maps to find another route to our true destination where we want to explore and have lunch.
Bellingham to Roslyn
Prior to this Alaska trip we had watched the 1990’s TV series Northern Exposure, set in the fictitious town of Cicely, Alaska. The show was filmed in Roslyn, Washington and we’re delighted to find an alternate route to this quaint town. The drive is only a few miles off our route, and it is well worth the stop.
Roslyn Washington
The town is about 4 square blocks and has a surprising number of restaurants, including The Roslyn Café which boats a mural painted on the side of the building. The town allowed the TV crew to add an “‘s” for the duration of the 5-year series – so the mural read “Roslyn’s Café” – and that apostrophe is no longer there. Spoiler Alert – the inside of the restaurant itself is NOT the interior used in the TV show. Since it is early September, there’s no snow in town but we use our imagination to bring Cicely images into our heads.
We walk around the town, poking our heads into various souvenir shops. The town doesn’t do much to connect itself to the TV series. For example, the building where Joel had his clinic doesn’t have a sign or anything. But we do find a Northern Exposure shot glass and that makes us happy. We actually opt to eat at Logan’s, a great restaurant and watering hole across the street from the Rosyln Café. Our bartender Corey is a fun conversationalist. In particular, she describes one of her hyperactive co-workers as “a hummingbird on a string” and that phrase will stick with us for a long time.
Roslyn to Yakima Washington
We seem to be south of the wildfires to our north, but you can still see a slight haze in the air. The drive from Roslyn to Yakima is all interstate – I-90 and then I-82 but in this remote part of Washington, there is little traffic and just beautiful mountains, valleys and irrigated farms in almost every direction. It’s hard to believe so much farmland and orchards have been wrestled from the desert.
Yakima Washington
Yakima is just a one-night stop on our way south toward warmer weather and drier climates. After almost 6 weeks of daytime temps in the 50’s and 60’s accompanied by almost constant drizzle and occasional rain, we ready for a change. We stay at the Best Western Plus Ahtanum Inn and walk over to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. Other than once while in Wasilla, we haven’t eaten at a chain restaurant since sometime in May (primarily because they don’t have many chain restaurants in Alaska).
Day 2: The Volcano Legacy – Mt. Rainier & Mt. St. Helen’s (day 126 of the overall trip)
Mt. Rainier National Park
Our original plan had us stopping at Mt. Rainier National Park, but with the wildfire smoke in the area, we know we won’t be able to see it, nor do we want to hike and breathe in that smoke. This is our second time attempting to visit Mt. Rainier and the second time we can’t see it (the last time was on our 2005 Washington Road Trip). Mt. Rainier is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Mt. Rainier is the tallest of the volcanoes in the Cascade Volcanic Arc at 14, 411 ft. FYI – it is pronounced “ran-near” although spelled just like the weather pattern “rain-ee-er”.
We drive through the east entrance to Mt Ranier but it’s so smokey that we decide to move on the Mt St. Helens hoping the smoke isn’t as bad the further south we go.
Mt St Helens National Volcanic Monument
All is not lost. We head to Mt. St. Helens National National Monument where there’s less smoke. On May 18, 1980, this volcano erupted and experienced the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history. Fifty-seven people were killed; 200 homes, 47 bridges, 15 miles of railways, and 185 miles of highway were destroyed. Prior to the eruption, the mountain was a symmetrical conical shape and stood at 9677 feet. Post explosion, the top now has a 1-mile-wide horseshoe-shaped crater filled with a lava dome and a glacier and stands only 8366 feet tall. It continues to be the most active volcano in the Cascades Volcanic Arc with minor eruptions every so often.
The massive eruption at Mt. St. Helen’s has allowed scientists to learn so much more about volcanos than was previously understood. This eruption was a lateral eruption which means it blew out the side rather than the top. It’s taught them about various new geological formations in the resulting landscape that help explain existing landscapes around other volcanos in the Cascade Volcano Arc.
One highlight of the park is Johnston Ridge Observatory. Located in the heart of the blast zone, it has a plethora of information in the building including how the eruption unfolded and first-hand accounts from survivors. There’s still a lot of haze in the air from wildfires but the mountain occasionally clears here and there, and we catch some glimpses.
Castle Rock Washington
Our overnight choice today is the charming town of Castle Rock which boasts itself as the gateway to Mt. St. Helen’s. Prior to the eruption and the creation of the Mt. St. Helen’s park, Castle Rock had little claim to fame. Today it is an old school tourist town with no chain hotels or restaurants. We get a room at the Timberland Inn & Suites and while showing its age, the room is spacious and fits the bill extremely well. We have dinner at the nearby Oasis which calls itself a “barstaurant”.
Day 3: The Volcano Legacy – Mt Hood (day 127 of the overall trip)
The Drive to The Timberline Lodge and Mt Hood
We face another day of transition driving, but we’re going to settle at our next location for 3 nights. Along that journey, we plan to stop near Mt. Hood, yet another volcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc. The stop isn’t specifically at Mt. Hood, but at the historic Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood. If you are a Stephen King fan, you should remember that the outside of this hotel was used in several shots of the “Overlook Hotel” for the original movie: The Shining with Jack Nicholson.
We only drive half of the Mt Hood Scenic Byway – the part from Portland to a town called Government Camp. You then veer onto a side road up the mountain to the Timberline Lodge, a steep, narrow and winding road.
Timberline Lodge at Mt Hood Oregon
Do you recognize this view of the exterior that was used in the movie The Shining?
The Here’s Johnny Axe
Nancy’s favorite part, of course, was getting to take a photo of herself holding an axe similar to the one the character Johnny used to chop his way into the room where his wife and son were hiding from him in the Overlook Hotel. The axe handle bears the words of one of the most iconic film phrases: Here’s Johnny.
The Beautiful Craftsmanship
The historic Timberline Lodge is a National Landmark on the south flank of the mountain. It was built and furnished by local craftsman and artisans between 1936 and 1938 during the Great Depression as one of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects. The lodge is publicly owned and privately run and contains a museum dedicated to the construction and early days of the lodge. We learn that every piece of furniture was created right there on site. Some of the railings and furniture were made from old telephone poles brought in specifically for that purpose. The main lobby hosts the museum. The second story hosts the Ram’s Head bar and Restaurant with 3 story ceilings and a stone fireplace and chimney in the center. There is so much rich history here and you can feel the old soul of the place as you walk through.
Mt Hood
There’s not too much smoke in the area, but enough that we wonder just how much of Mt. Hood we’ll be able to see. We do indeed get to see Mt. Hood in all its glory. At 11, 245 feet tall, Mt. Hood is Oregon’s tallest mountain. The peak is home to 12 named glaciers. There are 6 ski areas on the mountain, and it is the only place in North America where you can ski year-round. The last minor eruptive event happened in 1907 and it is considered unlikely for any to occur in the near future. The USGS monitors seismic activity at all the major volcanos along the Cascade Volcanic Arc and Mt Hood does have occasional swarms of earthquakes and also has fumaroles and hot spring activity in a few areas.
To Rocky Point Oregon (Point Confort)
The bulk of the next 6 hours is spent driving through glorious scenery in Oregon. It always amazes us how much of this state is undeveloped, how it shifts from temperate rain forest on the coast to high plains dessert in the interior.
Point Comfort Oregon
We’re staying in a VRBO rental in a cabin at the historic Point Comfort on the northwest side of Klamath Lake. Built in 1912, the property consists of the 7-bedroom Grand Lodge that accommodates 14 people, a 1-bedroom cabin and a 2-bedroom cabin. We are the only people here and the tranquility of our surroundings is about as perfect as it can get. We are about 30 miles from the nearby community of Klamath Falls (with a Walmart, restaurants and gas stations). There are several old-school resorts within a few miles of our cabin where we can also find a simple restaurant and bar, but we mostly choose to cook meals in. The cabin really is perfect for the two of us to spend a few days.
Day 4: The Volcano Legacy – Lava Beds National Monument (day 128 of the overall trip)
After a relaxing morning at the cabin, we drive the 30 miles along a scenic road and venture into Klamath Falls to gather some groceries and gas.
Lava Beds National Monument
We drive an hour south to Lava Beds National Monument. The park is primarily about the geological landscape created by the Medicine Lake volcano, but also contains a section with petroglyphs and a battlefield where a war was fought with the native Modoc tribe. The park boats over 800 caves created from the various eruptions and lava flows over the centuries.
We enter the park from the north entrance and we have to choose to go right or left once we pass through the gate. We choose to head right which will take us to the south part of the park and eventually to the Visitor Center. Our first stop is at Black Crater.
After passing through land strewn with the debris of lava flows, we stop at Fleener Chimneys. We first have a picnic lunch, then do a short hike to peer down into 3 deep holes that are officially old fumaroles (an opening near a volcano where sulfuric gases emerge.
Next, we pass by a hike that includes about a dozen caves. Most are closed, but the main one at the end is one we can do a partial climb into. You aren’t supposed to enter these caves with a permit.
Lava Tubes and Caves
We take the 2-mile turnoff to Skull Cave. The cave has 3 zones with varying degrees of light. We travel only with our cell phone cameras but meet people with headlamps, lanterns and flashlights. The bottom of the cave contains an ice field, but the area is currently closed. We can only do a few 100 yards of traversing into the depths of the cave. We’ve heard the term “lava tube” but here we are educated what they are. When lava flows, it cools on top first and that can create a tube where the hotter lava continues to flow. Once the lava has completed its travels, there are sections that are empty, thus creating a tube or cave.
The Visitor Center and the Mushpot
Our next destination is the Visitor Center. They happen to be repaving the parking lot today which causes us to park at a spot below where we must do a short hike up to the center past something called The Mushpot. This little feature turns out to be one of our favorite and we remark how we might have missed it had we not been forced to park in the area below.
The Cave Loop Road near the Visitor Center is closed both for maintenance and because of the extensive wildfire of 2021 that swept through the area. Other areas are also closed because of the recent wildfire. There’s a spectacular cave a few more miles south, called Valentine’s Cave, that is one of the best-known examples of a lava tube. We opt to skip it since there is road construction before it that could cause as much as a 30-minute delay. So we turn around and head back the way we came.
Mammoth Crater
We take the unpaved side road to look for Mammoth Crater. The turn-off is poorly marked as is the stop for the crater. We drive past the Mammoth Crater parking area, because it isn’t marked at all. Only after seeing a “you are leaving Lava Beds National Monument” sign do we realize we missed it. We turn around and stop at the first parking area after re-entering the park. After a short uphill hike, we see the magnificent crater created by the last massive eruption. There is an informational placard at the top – but we can’t understand why the park doesn’t do a better job of highlighting what seems to us to be one of its most important features.
We get back on the main park road and finally get back to that intersection where we went to the right. Instead of exiting the park, we continue on the road had we chosen to go left. This path travels though land that highlights the brief war with the Modoc Indians. It includes the grave of General Canby (killed by the Modoc Chief during a peaceful gathering), the Modoc stronghold area as well as Hospital Rock where the wounded were treated. This road then lead us to the petroglyphs – which turn out to be a disappointment compared to other petroglyph sites we’ve seen over the years in our travels.
We head back to our tranquil respite cabin, cook dinner and hunker in for the night.
Day 5: The Volcano Legacy – Crater Lake National Park (day 129 of the overall trip)
Although we visited Crater Lake National Park back in 2013, it is just an hour away from where we’re staying, and the weather is supposed to be delightful today. 7700 years ago, a massive eruption and collapse of Mt. Mazama ended up creating a gigantic crater. That crater filled with fresh water fed by rain and snow melt and is the deepest lake in all of the US – 1949 feet deep.
Crater Lake National Park
We pass through Mazama Village where the lodge, cabins and campground are located and head to the Rim Village Visitor Center. After a brief walk through the center, we head out on the perimeter drive around the crater. The park is fairly crowded today, and we suspect the beautiful weather has something to do with that. We do the drive in the clockwise direction to keep the lake on the passenger side for optimal photo opportunities while in motion. If you think of the drive as a clock, Rim Village is at 6 on the clock face. We take pictures of Wizard Island, a volcanic cinder cone that sits as an island in the lake, as we make our way to 9 on the clock face. Here we reach Watchman Overlook and stretch our legs for a bit.
We continue around past Llao Rock (at 11 on the clock face), Pumice Point (at noon on the clock face) and have lunch as Cloudcap Overlook (at 3 on the clock face).
Phantom Ship and The Pinnacles
Our next notable stop is at Phantom Ship Overlook at 5 on the clock face. This rock formation that juts out of the water is actually 14 stories tall and from certain angles, resembles a ship (particularly when fog hangs on the lake). Something to ponder – What will this youngest generation do that only understands the concept of a digital clock? Next we take the 6-mile Pinnacles Drive to Pinnacles Overlook. The pinnacles are grey colored fossil fumaroles that formed prior to the massive eruption. The surrounding softer materials have eroded over time and has left behind these towering needles. We do the short 1-mile round-trip hike to see as much of the pinnacles as we can.
We head back out to complete the clockwise loop and then head back toward our cabin.
Dinner at Harriman Springs Resort & Marina
We decide to treat ourselves to dinner at one of two the local resorts within a mile of our cabin. Based on internet research, we opt for Harriman Springs Resort & Marina. In the 1950’s – this would have been a first-class resort, but as time has passed, resort expectations have soared. It is still a delightful collection of cabins, the grounds are shaded and the lake is serene – and the restaurant isn’t bad either! We meet Melvin and Tony. Tony is the young guy with the black beard in the picture. The place has a surprising number of patrons and the one-woman bartender, waitress, cook and front desk clerk is running herself ragged. The food lived up to its reputation and we make a note of this place as a possible future stop.
Tony’s Tale – Surviving the Sinking of a Commercial Fishing Boat
As we travel and talk to folks we here lots of stories and here is an amazing true-life story that Tony told us.
Melvin has came out west to celebrate with his long time “brother” (by choice, not by blood), because Tony has just gotten a job as a groundsman where he will be starting a career to becoming a lineman. Over the course of conversation, we learn they are both die-hard motorcycle riders and sometimes like to ride considerably over the speed limit. Melvin is telling us stories, even on this trip, where he rides over 120 mph. Melvin then tells us that Tony has some hellacious stories to tell about true life experiences. One of the stories is about a motorcycle wreck going over 100 mph. Tony proceeds to pull off his shirt to show us the scars. In fact, he has a full tattoo on his upper right arm that is now cut in half by a gigantic scar along the entire length. We come to find out that Tony, at the time, was working in the Alaska commercial fishing industry. Born in Anchorage, he’s spent his late teens and early 20’s on commercial fishing boats fishing for tuna and dungess crab.
Then Melvin tells us he has an ever more amazing life and death tale from the open seas. Tony then comments that while he was healing from his arm surgery, he realizes he needs to work. He tried to get back to work with his prior captain, and when questioned if he could do the work in his present condition, Tony’s can-do attitude was “well, we’re going to figure that out”. Indeed, his tenacity pushes him to rely on his left arm and he remarks that while he used to be right-handed, he’s relearned how to be left-handed. We comment that his story is very remarkable. Tony responds by almost casually saying he sunk a boat once. We’re stunned and just have to ask him to tell us the story.
Tony’s tale begins by saying that he was working on an old wooden 80-foot fishing boat, a double ender, built in 1951. He was 24 and working with one other guy, a 26-year-old boat captain with less fishing experience than he had. He described the boat as being in poor condition where it constantly leaked and needed the bilge pumps run nightly for about 4-5 hours. This was ok as while they were fishing close to shore.
When the price of tuna went up, the boat owner pressured them into going further off-shore. He wanted them to fish 200 miles off the coast of Canada in an area called block 51. Tony tells us it’s referred to the sinking block of the Pacific because of the number of ships that have gone down over the years.
Tony continues and explains to us that there is a warm water current that runs up towards Alaska, 200 miles offshore where a lot of tuna run. Tony balks at doing this given the condition of the boat but is finally peer pressured into doing it. Now, he and the captain don’t really get along and it is just the two of them on the boat, and the captain rules. After leaving the shore and beginning to fish 200 miles off-shore, Tony learns that the captain has not done his due diligence of bringing along spare bilge pumps and parts so they will be in trouble if one or more of the pumps fail.
At this point, Tony starts to explain what life is like on this fishing boat as it can accommodate a crew bigger than the two of them, but on this trip, is only them. This means that they must take turns driving the boat as they are in a commercial fishing channel and must remain vigilant and be on the lookout for other boats.
Navigating a small ship in these busy waters is a challenge for smaller boats as a larger boat can easily run over a smaller boat. He describes how sometimes when extremely tired, they both had to sleep at the same time even though it was sort of risky. They would first check the radar for other boats in the area, and then put the boat on “auto-pilot” and so they could sleep for a few hours.
For us to get a feel for how dangerous it was on the water, he tells us of one nighttime incident where it appeared there were 3 boats on the horizon, but as they got closer, it was just one exceedingly long barge with 3 single lights – one on each end and one in the middle. He says he has to lay on the button that will turn the boat hoping to turn in time. He then adds that these types of boats don’t have steering wheels like we might think of in the types of boats we’ve been on.
He then begins to describe how bad a condition the boat is in. There are times when he’s woken from sleeping in his bunk with water swishing around his feet, and must scurry and turn on the bilge pumps again.
As the trip wears on, he soon discovers that the captain tends to fall asleep and not wake up easily or on time for his shift.
On the night of the sinking, both men are exhausted from days of hard work fishing and little-to-no sleep. The captain is sleeping, and Tony checks the radar and sets the boat on autopilot. He sets the alarm on his cell-phone to wake him up, but accidently leaves the cell phone on the deck instead of bringing it to his bunk. He realizes this just as he’s nodding off, but decides he’ll be OK since the captain should be waking in a few hours for his shift.
Suddenly, Tony bolts awake his cabin to find it filled with water up to his bunk and the power is out. He feels the boat rocking in what he soon learns, is 10′ swells. He must break down the door to get out of his cabin and he finds the captain up on the deck hysterically crying. He questions the captain about why he hadn’t woken him and essentially learns that the captain was so overcome with emotion and fear, that he had left Tony to die.
Tony gathers himself and begins to frantically try and figure out how to get out of this mess. He is clothed only in his underwear and its super cold outside but thinks to himself he must do whatever he can to survive.
He scurries to the generator but finds that its underwater and he cannot get it started. Reluctantly, he searches and finds a cold-water survival suite and puts it on, but these are bulky, and they are hard to walk around in.
With the power out, he realizes he has to find a way to get the CB radio functioning to call for help. He finds a 12-volt marine battery, strips the wires off the CB radio, connects it to the battery and it works! He issues a desperate Mayday call and another boat 20 miles away hears and responds to the call. He gives his current position, but knows they will be drifting south in this storm. He also has great concern the boat won’t be able to find them in the dark, especially without power, and that they won’t be able to remain afloat long enough. He thinks to himself: I’m going to die.
He manages to reach his girlfriend on the radio and tells her that the boat is sinking and he wanted to say goodbye but to please not contact his parents until the next day.
He returns on deck and looks for the boat’s marine flares. They see the rescue boat in the distance and he attempts to fire off one of the flares, however, with the rolling 10′ swells and rain, the flare immediately goes out. He tries another with the same result and realizes the flares are not an option.
He looks around the boat and finally finds a lone flashlight. He climbs partially up the mast and starts turning the flashlight on and off. A voice comes over the CB and with momentary joy, he learns they’ve been spotted. He asks the other boat if they will send over lifeboats and finds out they aren’t an option in this storm.
They are told them must jump into the sea and do their best to swim toward the approaching boat. The captain is a mess of emotion and doesn’t want to jump into the water, but Tony just says “Fuck It” and jumps in. At this point there’s a significant chance he’ll be swept out to sea out and he’ll never make it aboard the rescue boat. Again, he thinks to himself: I’m going to die.
They may be in the warm water channel, but the water is still somewhere in the 40 degree range. He continues to hold the flashlight in one hand since the rescue boat will have difficulty locating him in the black darkness of the night. His eyes and face sting from the salt water and he’s swallowed some as well. The 10′ swells are exhausting to swim in and as he raises and lowers with the swells, the sight of the rescue boat comes and goes. He finally approaches the 120′ boat and is able to verbally communicate with some crew on the boat.
He is told it is too dangerous to climb a ladder into the boat and he’s beginning to near the end of his energy. As he crests a swell, he reaches up hoping someone can grab him and pull him aboard.
There is significant danger that he could get knocked out by the force of the boat. There is also significant risk that he gets pulled under by the force of the boat going up and down in the swells. After many attempts, he’s beginning to lose hope and again thinks to himself: I’m going to die.
And then, on his next crest on the wave, he summons the last of his adrenaline, reaches up as high as he can muster and feels someone grab the fingertip of his glove. The person holds on and someone else grabs his wrist and he’s finally pulled up into the boat.
Once Tony is pulled aboard the rescue boat, the captain jumps in the water. Tony is so stunned by what has just unfolded, that he reacts by heading to the back of the boat to reel in the fishing nets. The crews shouts out to him to come back and help them haul the captain into the boat. The captain is a much more robust and is heavier than Tony and it takes more men and strength to extract him from the water into the boat.
Tony ends up telling the captain of the new boat that he is so grateful they saved his life, that he’ll work the rest of the 2-month fishing season for free. The captain went ahead and hired him and Tony ends up working on this new boat for a few more fishing seasons. As for the original captain of the boat that sunk, he was put ashore at the next available stop.
To this day, Tony still wakes up in the middle of the night with nightmares of that time he awoke to his cabin filled with water and the near-death experience he endured. After a few more years of working in the commercial fishing industry, he’s completed training to be a groundsman and hence, why we met him and heard his story in Oregon.
There is speculation the boat owner intentionally put two young seaman on his boat in hopes it would sink and he could collect the insurance money. Litigation is still pending. We are proud to share Tony’s story.
Day 6: The Volcano Legacy – Burney Falls (day 130 of the overall trip)
Today we transition to the Mt. Shasta area, an area Nancy has been drooling to visit for many years. Yes, Mt. Shasta is a volcano, but the surrounding area is a mecca for people interested in “woo-woo”. More on that in a minute. While hiking in Lava Beds National Park we chatted with a couple that told us about the beauty of a place called Burney Falls. Since it was on our way from the Klamath Falls area to the Mt Shasta area, we decide it will be a great place to stretch our legs and have a picnic lunch.
Burney Falls
Burney Falls is located in McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park. We pull into the park and right there at the entrance is a large picnic ground, a short walk to the falls overlook and the trailhead to a fairly short nature walk around the falls. The picnic grounds are flat and covered with well-manicured dirt. Harrison reminds Nancy that this is a very arid region and dirt is probably the easiest to maintain the grounds. After lunch we head to the waterfall overlook. At 129-feet, Burney Falls isn’t the tallest or largest waterfall in California, but it truly one of the most beautiful. The waters emerge from a spring just above the falls and 100 million gallons of water flows over the rocks each day. We proceed to walk the 1.5-mile Falls Loop Trail. We see 3 women dressed alike in what is best described as tribal or ritual outfits. We’re curious but not enough to disturb them. We later learn that Burney Falls is one of the sacred sites in the Mt. Shasta area. The hike is a wonderful way to get some exercise and soon we’re back in the truck and on our way to the town of Mt. Shasta for 3 nights.
Mt Shasta California
As we near the town, we can see the majestic Mt. Shasta standing 14,163 feet tall with its snow-capped peak. Mt. Shasta is yet another volcano in the Cascades Volcanic Arc.
The town of Mt. Shasta is an upcoming recreational area with tons of hiking, fishing and other things to do in this general area. The Mt. Shasta area is also a sacred place for people into “woo-woo” – aka: chakras, crystals, gemstones, psychic abilities, tarot, reiki, etc. It is believed to be one of the most powerful and high frequency places on Earth with energy vortexes purporting to quicken one’s awakening into the highest possible version of themselves. It’s also an amplifier of all intentions and a place of manifestation. To take it one step further, there are people that believe Mt. Shasta is also the home of the present-day Lemurians, survivors of the sinking of the continent of Lemuria over 12,000 years ago.
We find our quaint VRBO lodging and settle in. We walk just a block into the center of town and look for a place to have dinner and watch Thursday Night Football. The main street is lined with bars, restaurants, crystal shops and other souvenir shops. Our first stop is at the oldest bar in town (built in 1896), Watson’s Vet’s Club, where we learn they don’t serve food. The place looks amazing, and they do have TV’s, but we need food. They recommend a Mexican restaurant 3 blocks down the street, but after walking there, we learn it isn’t open on Thursdays. So, we head back the way we came and to our delight we find Spanky’s Landing. There are 2 bars in this restaurant and we sit down at the larger one that has 2 TVs. We ask them to put the game on one of the TVs and the manager tells us that since it is broadcast on Amazon Prime, they can only show it at the other bar. And so, we move to the smaller bar, order a pizza and watch the game. This smaller bar is near the kitchen so we have plenty of opportunity to talk with the wait staff. The “chef” comes out with a serving of a new dessert he created and he’s not happy with how it turned out. He gives us a complimentary piece so we can give him our opinion. It wasn’t much to look at, but the flavor of the shortbread cake filled with guava and orange lit up when the cold vanilla ice cream merged together on your taste buds.
Day 7: The Volcano Legacy – Lassen Volcanic National Park (day 131 of the overall trip)
Continuing the Volcano Trail, we’re headed south for 1.5-hours to Lassen Volcanic National Park today. The dominant feature of the park is Lassen Peak at 10,457-feet tall. It is the largest plug dome volcano in the world and the southernmost volcano in the Cascade Range. The area surrounding Lassen Peak is still active with boiling mud pots, fumaroles, and hot springs. The eastern area of the park was devastated in 2021 when a wildfire ripped through, but the western side was left unscathed. The eastern side of the park is still closed.
Lassen Visitors Center
We enter the park from the northwest entrance and stop at the Visitor Center to get a feel for the park.
Big Rocks Thrown from the Blast
Next, we enjoy a few stops as we head to a spot for lunch. We learn this volcano experienced several minor eruptions between 1914 and 1921. This main road in the park reaches an elevation of 8512-feet and is the highest road in all of the Cascade Mountains. We stop at the Kings Creek Picnic area to do a quick lunch and to walk a 1-mile trail that features a number of the large boulders thrown from the mountain when it erupted. Placards explain the differences in the types of rocks. It was pretty interesting from a learning point of view.
Cold Boiling Lake
After stopping at Kings Creek Picnic area for lunch, we head on the 1-mile hike to Cold Boiling Lake. We pass through meadows and pretty landscape and finally reach the lake. The brochures say that Cold Boiling Lake is a “dying” hydrothermal area that emits small amounts of gas bubbles at some points near the shore. The hike takes you through an area that has been heavily damaged by wildfires and to our extreme disappointment (and those hiking there too), we see no evidence of any gas bubbles. We hike the 1-mile back and continue in our truck to Bumpass Hell Trailhead.
Bumpass Hell Trail
The 3-mile round-trip Bumpass Hell Trail accesses the largest hydrothermal area in the park, promising boiling mud pots and steaming fumaroles spewing gases. The first 1-mile of the hike is a gradual, all uphill hike with a 250′ change in elevation. As we pass hikers coming down, they tell us “It is worth it” and encourage us with “you can do it” statements. We reach the crest and then the final 1/2-mile is a steeper downhill trail with a 300′ change in elevation. As we descend, we see rising gasses and finally a boardwalk comes into view. Geothermal areas can be very dangerous to walk on and the park has built a wide boardwalk, so people don’t walk on the thin crust and burn themselves if the crust cracks. Not only is the water hot, but it is highly acidic. As a warning, they post pictures of foolish hikers that experienced painful burns from going off-trail. The area is named as the man who discovered it and led many tourists on hikes to it – Kendall Vanhook Bumpass. On one trip his foot broke the thin crust and his leg submerged into the unforgiving scalding mud pot waters. His burns were so severe that he had to have his leg amputated. The area is glorious, rivaling some areas of Yellowstone National Park with far fewer crowds.
The hike back seemed to go much faster than the hike in. It was grueling to hike the steepest 1/2-mile part, but after that, the walk downhill is a piece of cake. We pass many hikers on the way back and they all ask “how much further” and also appreciate those little words of encouragement.
Our final stop in the park is another geothermal area, Sulphur Works, located right along the side of the road. If we hadn’t been to Bumpass Hell, this might have impressed us, however, it was underwhelming in comparison. The entire hike is 1/4-mile on a paved trail. Sulphur Works is said to be the volcanic center of the ancestral Mount Tehama that exploded 360,000 years ago and left behind 4 smaller peaks.
Time seems to erode and we arrive back in Mt. Shasta after dark. We decide to have dinner tonight at Lalo’s, the Mexican restaurant we found closed the night before. We sit at the small bar and enjoy both chicken and beef fajitas. We enjoy chatting with our bartender and also meet the owner himself.
Day 8: The Volcano Legacy – Mt. Shasta (day 132 of the overall trip)
Today is Nancy’s day to enjoy the “woo-woo” side of this area. There’s an informative book in the rental unit that lists all the main sacred places in the area. This is when we learn that Burney Falls is one of those areas although we felt no special energy when viewing the falls and hiking around them. But now we understand why those three women were dressed alike and what they were doing. The sacred areas are both scenic and “psychic” and we wish we had time to visit more sites. We note that the area is definitely worth more time on a future trip and decide to pursue two spots today.
Castle Crags State Park
Our first stop is at Castle Crags State Park. The focus of the park is the well-known rock formation known as Castle Crags that ranges in elevation from 2,000 to 6,500 feet. It was a sacred place to the indigenous people with its mineral springs and sacred streams. We start with a 1/2-mile hike to the Crags Overlook and it is as dramatic and glorious as described. We chat with a few other tourists at the overlook and compare travel notes. This is such a great way to gather information for future trips or other area destinations.
There’s no way we’re doing the strenuous hike to the Crags themselves – as that is a 7.2-mile one-way hike. But after leaving the overlook, we do decide to hike the nearby level 2.2-mile Root Creek loop that passes through shaded forest and terminates at Root Creek. It was just a nice, pleasant hike with nothing of note to see, just nature’s energy to enjoy.
Panther Meadows
Our second destination is called Panther Meadows considered the most sacred, special place in the Mt. Shasta area. The Panther Meadows Trail promises beautiful rocks and cliffs, staggering vistas of the volcanic peak, fantastic views of the surrounding mountain ranges, rushing creeks and delicate meadows. Many people hire spiritual guides to take them on this hike and to help them ascend to their higher selves. The town of Mt. Shasta is filled with small businesses offering experiences here at Panther Meadows as well as other sacred sites.
We have the choice of eating lunch and then going or going and having a late afternoon meal. We decide to do the latter and it probably turns out to be a mistake. The winding road up the mountain to Panther Meadows is stunning. But as we approach the area, Nancy is getting overwhelmed by all the energy. She’s feeling dizzy and having trouble focusing. We get to trailhead for the 1.1-mile easy hike and park. Nancy gets out to walk around a bit and even sees a fellow jewelry maker selling her items in the parking lot. The temperature is about 20 degrees colder here than down below. Nancy is hungry and has a headache (presumably from all the energy) and decides we need to save the hike for another trip. Nancy is truly disappointed as Panther Meadows is the main sacred site in the area.
An Evening in Mt. Shasta
After driving back to town, we stop to enjoy lunch and football at Cooper’s Bar & Grill located in of all places, the Best Western Plus in town. The parking lot is almost full and we finally find a spot outside one of the rooms. When we enter the lobby, we learn there’s a “celebration of life” event going on, which explains the crowded parking lot. As we sit at the bar and enjoy our lunch, we hear occasional clapping and cheering from the large event room next door. When the event ends, some of the crowd spills into the restaurant. For those that have been keeping track – that’s now 3 weddings and 2 funerals that we’ve run into.
We drive back to the rental and park the truck. Nancy wants to go crystal shopping in town so we stop at Watson’s Vet’s Club and first each grab a beer. Then Nancy leaves Harrison behind to watch football while she goes crystal shopping. The prices were a little high, but with 4 great crystal shops in town, Nancy manages to find about a dozen excellent crystals that she’ll make into pendants. Nancy joins Harrison back at the bar and she gets to meet some of guys Harrison has been chatting with.
Summary
It was truly beautiful to drive the Volcanic Legacy route. In particular we loved the southern Oregon (Rocky Point/Klamath Falls) and northern California areas (Mt Shasta) and plan to return for longer stays the next time.
Up Next
Prior Legs of the Journey
Part 1 – The Trip to Key West is located here.
Part 2 – Cross Country to Bellingham Washington is located here.
Part 3 – The Alaska Ferry Inner Passage to Juneau is located here.
Part 4- The Alaska Ferry Inner Passage to Haines & Skagway is located here.
Part 5 – Haines to Fairbanks Alaska is located here.
Part 6 – Three weeks in Fairbanks is located here
Part 7 – Fairbanks to the Arctic Ocean is located here.
Part 8 – Denali National Park is located here.
Part 9 – Denali & Richardson Highways (Central Alasks) is located here.
Part 10 – Wasilla Alaska Area is located here
Part 11 – Homer Alaska Area is located here
Part 12 – Seward Alaska Area is located here
Part 13 – Girdwood Alaska Area is located here
Part 14 – Kodiak Alaska Area is located here
Part 15 – “Back to the Lower 48” is located here
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